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Boulder Climate Ventures Ignites Climate Tech Momentum with Fall Series

Jane Majkiewicz — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 15:57:42 +0000

Boulder Climate Ventures Ignites Climate Tech Momentum with Fall Series Jane Majkiewicz Thu, 10/16/2025 - 09:57

Jane Majkiewicz

CU Boulder’s new BCV initiative kicked off a seven-week speaker series to spark climate innovation and entrepreneurship. The program connects the CU Boulder community with experts to explore opportunities in climate tech.

Seven Weeks of Climate Tech Brainstorming

Want to be a part of BCV? Register for upcoming sessions:

October 22: Electricity Demand
October 29: Critical Minerals
November 5: Ag Tech
November 12: Nuclear
November 19: Geoengineering
December 3: Adaption and Resilience

This week, Boulder Climate Ventures (BCV) kicked off its inaugural fall speaker series, “Business Opportunities in Climate Tech,” drawing a packed room of more than 100 attendees. Students from business, engineering, law, and arts and sciences joined faculty, staff and community members to explore the intersection of entrepreneurship and climate innovation.

Katherine Ratledge (pictured above), program manager for the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility (CESR), welcomed guests to the first of seven sessions. Boulder Climate Ventures (BCV) is part of Breakthrough Energy’s �Թ�� Climate Ventures network, joining Stanford �Թ��, MIT, Technical �Թ�� of Munich and Nanyang Technological �Թ�� in Singapore. CU Boulder is the first public university to be included in the network.

Ratledge explained that the interdisciplinary program, facilitated by CESR and the Deming Center, is designed to equip students with the tools and resources to develop and launch high-impact companies. “We are not talking about the future, we are talking about the here and now,” she said. “We don’t just need breakthrough tech—we need breakthrough companies.”

“We don’t just need breakthrough tech—we need breakthrough companies.”

Katherine Ratledge, program manager at CESR

BCV builds on CU Boulder’s reputation for cutting-edge research, its status as a top university for startups, and the region’s strengths—including national labs and a thriving tech ecosystem. The goal, Ratledge said, is to educate the community about opportunities and to “think broadly and boldly” about ways to make the world cleaner, more efficient and more resilient. The endgame? Commercialize new technologies in an industry projected to reach $1.8 trillion.

Graduate students will be invited to participate in a climate tech venture discovery class this spring, building on ideas generated during the series. Ratledge emphasized the importance of community: “We want people in the room to ask questions and never stop pushing—this is what we need to solve these problems.”

Sonya Gustafson, founder of startup Distill Energy and a new Leeds mentor, was energized by the event. Her new company aims to de-risk development in energy markets, and she looks forward to connecting with students who may become future employees.

Climate Tech 3.0: A Trillion-Dollar Opportunity

Trent Yang, BCV team member and entrepreneur in residence at Leeds, shared sobering statistics about climate change’s impact. “Because the global economy and all our infrastructure was built on an idea that our climate was stable, we are going to have to rebuild our global economy for a changing climate,” he said.

Solutions must go beyond emissions mitigation to include resilience, adaptation and global heat management. Yang cited deadly heatwaves in India and Pakistan as examples of the urgent need for innovation. “This is a multitrillion-dollar opportunity to change our world for the better,” he said. “This is what climate investing is all about.”

Yang outlined three phases of climate tech evolution:

Climate Tech 1.0: Early investments, many of which failed due to long ramp-up times and funding challenges.
Climate Tech 2.0: The 2010s saw global collaboration and commitments from large companies.
Climate Tech 3.0: Today’s phase is marked by global investment, with China leading the way and the United States and European Union close behind.

“This is a multitrillion-dollar opportunity to change our world for the better. This is what climate investing is all about.”

Trent Yang, BCV team member and Leeds entrepreneur-in-residence

To transition to a net-zero world, Yang said, we must triple our investments. That means deploying massive capital for new solutions and infrastructure. BCV aims to address this urgency with scalable, pragmatic solutions. Key success factors include a regional focus vs. global collaboration, market-driven strategies in the United States, a laser focus on product-market fit, and economically competitive solutions, he said.

Local leadership

Susie Strife, CU Boulder MENV instructor and director of sustainability, climate action and resilience for Boulder County, highlighted the power of local climate leadership. “There are 3,000 cities across the U.S. banding together to respond to the climate crisis,” she said.

Strife described how local governments respond to climate-related disasters, drive policy and power communities more efficiently. In Boulder, strategies include climate action services and seed funding for innovation. She cited the Buy Clean Colorado Act, biochar projects, and Boulder Mushroom’s wildfire mitigation efforts as examples.

Despite the challenges, Strife remains optimistic. “I can’t help but think there’s no better time to be in climate—it’s a field full of possibilities,” she said.

“I can’t help but think there’s no better time to be in climate—it’s a field full of possibilities."

Susie Strife, Boulder County director of sustainability

Entrepreneurial wisdom

The session concluded with Yang moderating a panel featuring (pictured from left to right) Doug Campbell, founder of Solid Power; Mike McGehee, professor of chemical engineering at CU Boulder and founder of Tynt Technologies; Tasso von Windheim, a climate tech investor; and Bryn Rees of CU Boulder Innovation and Partnerships.

“Entrepreneurship is part science and part art—you can’t just learn it in the classroom,” said Yang. “We will bring real successful practitioners in to help you create a successful venture going forward.”

McGehee, whose students have launched 19 businesses, emphasized mentorship. “You want to pick investors that do far more than give you money,” he said.

Von Windheim stressed the importance of a strong tech team and early founders’ agreements, while Rees encouraged students to leverage CU Boulder’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and the wealth of resources in the region.

Panelists agreed on key ingredients for success: the ability to pivot, understanding your minimum viable product, knowing your strengths and weaknesses, and building the right team.

“Look to your left, look to your right—that’s called your network,” said Campbell. “That’s the most valuable thing in your career.” Reflecting on his own entrepreneurial journey, he added, “At the end of the day, it was a leap of faith. That’s what being an entrepreneur is.”

CU Boulder’s new BCV initiative kicked off a seven-week speaker series to spark real-world solutions for climate innovation and entrepreneurship.

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A Passion for Fashion: Introducing Leeds’ New Student Club

Jane Majkiewicz — Tue, 14 Oct 2025 22:14:46 +0000

A Passion for Fashion: Introducing Leeds’ New Student Club Jane Majkiewicz Tue, 10/14/2025 - 16:14

Grace Garfoot

This fall, Ryder Nicolaus (Mktg’28) and Oliver Welsh (Bus, Fin’28) launched the Fashion Case Club at Leeds. With ambitions to expand beyond the Leeds community, the duo is shaping the club’s mission to incorporate underrepresented aspects of fashion while building a following, securing notable guest speakers and actively growing valuable industry connections.

Sewing the seeds of inspiration

Friends and fashion entrepreneurs Ryder Nicolaus (Mktg’28) and Oliver Welsh (Bus, Fin’28) didn’t wait for college to start making their mark. Even before arriving at Leeds, they had already launched their own branded clothing lines–Nicolaus with PAX Apparel and Welsh with Chill Ville. Now, as undergrads, they’ve channeled that shared passion into founding the Fashion Case Club—Leeds’ first student organization focused on the fashion industry.

The idea took shape last year over winter break, when the two realized that Leeds lacked representation for students interested in the business of fashion. “We feel like this is something that doesn’t have a lot of resources at CU and Leeds,” Welsh said. “Fashion as a whole is underrepresented within clubs and classes, especially compared to other universities. That’s why we started the club."

With a strong attendance at its first few meetings and an unfolding lineup of high-profile guest speakers, the club is already gaining traction.

“I’ve always been into really niche, creative endeavors, whether it was making rings or woodworking. I also knew that I wanted to go into business, so combining those two aspects, I decided to start my own clothing company,” Nicolaus (pictured right) said. “I wanted to experience what it was like running a company, so I decided to do that through something I really enjoy. I like the marketing and business analytics side of it, and that’s what brought me to Leeds,” he added.

For both Welsh and Nicolaus, getting into fashion was sparked by the desire to design their own clothes and appreciating the thrift culture. When visiting Leeds during an admitted students’ day, it resonated with them to hear that some graduates had gone on to work at North Face.

After getting their new club registered as an official Leeds student club, Nicolaus and Welsh promoted it at the Leedsapalooza annual student club event, catching the attention of CJ Riggins, an advisor for the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship. Intrigued by their apparel and their effort to bring a fashion initiative to Leeds, she became a faculty sponsor for the club.

“She has been so helpful in that role,” said Welsh. “I think she loves seeing students come together who are creatively driven entrepreneurs,” he added. And with fashion being the seventh largest industry in the world, projected to reach $1.87 trillion in 2025, Riggins’ support further validated for Nicolaus and Walsh that fashion should have a place in the business conversations happening at Leeds. Entrepreneurs like Garmai Matthew (MBA’25) and Rylan Montoya (Bus’25) are prime examples of Leeds students who have applied their business education to fashion startups.

Following the threads

As they’ve begun to hold meetings, the club has attracted new members by lining up high-level fashion industry insiders. One of their first meetings featured speaker Anthony Pace, a representative from Crocs. An executive from Ralph Lauren will be an upcoming presenter.

Attracting speakers of that caliber is a result of something Welsh and Nicolaus have been practicing in both life and business: persistence.

“We started off by cold calling on LinkedIn, and the success rate wasn’t great for that,” Welsh admitted. “But every time someone did reach out, we would make sure to be as enthusiastic and as sociable as we could to make an impression.”

“One of the first people we met with—who works at North Face—gave us helpful information on how we could improve our networking. Since then, every time we talk to someone, we ask them for contacts they can pass on,” Welsh added.

“It’s cool being a part of Leeds because you learn how intertwined everyone is networking-wise," said Nicolaus. His connections for the new club started in the Sustainable Business Club: “From there, I spoke to someone in Leeds and asked for a connection, and she was the one who led us to a contact from North Face.”

Setting trends for the CU Boulder community

As they move past the initial stages of evolving the club, Welsh and Nicolaus want to open it to any CU student that is interested in fashion, giving them practical industry experience before they go out into the world. We are a business-oriented club, but that doesn’t mean we’re exclusive to business," said Welsh.

The co-founders want to expose students to professional aspects of the fashion industry that are cross-disciplinary and applicable to a wide range of interests. They plan to address subjects such as color theory, retail math, merchandising, and other real-world concepts that aren’t typically taught in the classroom. For fashion-oriented and non-fashion-oriented people alike, Welsh and Nicolaus believe this learning will be invaluable.

“We’re going to teach concepts through workshops, case studies and guest speakers. We will offer topics that anyone considering the fashion industry should learn," said Welsh.

As the co-founders continue to raise the club’s visibility and look forward to carving out their professional career paths, they have already learned one essential component of success—collaboration. They both echoed the same sentiment: They couldn’t do this without each other.

Leeds’ new Fashion Case Club is tailoring its focus on the business of fashion to engage students across the CU Boulder community. With a growing membership and a lineup of industry insiders, the club is stitching together style, innovation and opportunity.

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How to Outsmart Online Scammers in the Age of AI, According to a Cybersecurity Expert

Kelsey Cipolla — Tue, 14 Oct 2025 14:58:21 +0000

How to Outsmart Online Scammers in the Age of AI, According to a Cybersecurity Expert Kelsey Cipolla Tue, 10/14/2025 - 08:58

As cybercriminals use generative AI to craft more convincing scams, Leeds School of Business expert Sebastian Schuetz shares tips for protecting yourself.

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Real Talk, Real Impact: Business Leaders-in-Residence Inspire Leeds Students

Kelsey Cipolla — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 16:50:30 +0000

Real Talk, Real Impact: Business Leaders-in-Residence Inspire Leeds Students Kelsey Cipolla Thu, 10/09/2025 - 10:50

Fourteen top professionals brought candid insights, career advice and networking opportunities to Leeds students during a dynamic day of connection.

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How Privacy Rules Meant To Protect Consumers May Hurt Small Businesses

Kelsey Cipolla — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 19:22:34 +0000

How Privacy Rules Meant To Protect Consumers May Hurt Small Businesses Kelsey Cipolla Tue, 10/07/2025 - 13:22

New research finds that laws designed to safeguard personal data can backfire, slowing innovation, raising costs and leaving disadvantaged consumers behind.

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Getting Down to Business: How Leeds’ Career Events Can Turn Handshakes into Hires

Jane Majkiewicz — Fri, 26 Sep 2025 16:39:38 +0000

Getting Down to Business: How Leeds’ Career Events Can Turn Handshakes into Hires Jane Majkiewicz Fri, 09/26/2025 - 10:39

Jane Majkiewicz

The Leeds Career Development Office hosted three days of its signature fall programming, highlighted by the All Industries Career Fair—a lively event at Boulder's new Limelight Hotel. Students gave the event a resoundingly positive review, and now they’re keeping up the momentum as they pursue new connections, internships and career opportunities.

More than 900 undergraduate and graduate students convened at the Limelight to kick off the fall semester by exploring internship and career opportunities, from stepping stones to leadership tracks and permanent positions. A total of 79 businesses participated in the All Industries Career Fair on Sept. 17, creating a lively atmosphere filled with connection, curiosity and conversation.

Dressed in business attire and armed with polished resumes, students arrived ready to make strong first impressions. Their professional demeanor set the tone for meaningful conversations with recruiters, many of whom noted the students’ preparedness and enthusiasm.

“The Career Fair gives students the chance to explore opportunities and connect with employers across industries in a supportive, structured environment.”

Angie Vermillion, associate director of Employer Relations

Clusters of students gathered around tables hosted by companies such as Cain Travel, Crowe, Enterprise Mobility, memoryBlue, CBRE, Danone, Sprouts, Artist Capital, Comcast and Sage Hospitality—just a sampling of the diverse organizations represented. Nonprofit organizations, including the Peace Corps and Teach for America, also had a presence. The fair showcased businesses across all industries represented by Leeds’ 10 academic areas of emphasis.

Company posters enticed students with remote work, employee perks and leadership possibilities, such as Parallon and HCA Healthcare’s note that 85% of their former associates are currently in leadership positions. Inspirational slogans added to the visual flair:

“Our Brands. Your Future.”—Gallo
“Work Where You Belong”—Sage Hospitality
“Let’s Build Something Big”—ibotta
“Grow with Us”—Tallgrass Energy

From table talks to career moves

“I definitely think the career fair was a good use of my time,” said Lucas Fernandes (Fin, Acct’27), who spoke with representatives from Comcast, among other businesses. “Not only did I find out about internship opportunities that I previously wouldn’t have known about, but I was able to get a few contacts that I can use to leverage my network and opportunities.”

Students surveyed gave the event a resoundingly positive review, describing it as 'awesome,' 'well done' and 'very helpful'—especially appreciating the opportunity to connect with companies.

“The Career Fair gives students the chance to explore opportunities and connect with employers across industries in a supportive, structured environment,” said Angie Vermillion, associate director of Employer Relations at Leeds.

Kristin Day, an HR specialist with Tallgrass Energy, attended her first Leeds event and was impressed by the students’ professionalism and confidence. "We met many great candidates. They were all wonderful to talk with and very engaged in the conversations," she said. “I was impressed with the way students presented themselves. It made them stand out as a whole,” she added.

“Not only did I find out about internship opportunities that I previously wouldn’t have known about, but I was able to get a few contacts that I can use to leverage my network and opportunities.”

Lucas Fernandes (Fin, Acct’27)

To help students prepare, Leeds hosted a Career Workshop the day before the fair that focused on resume building, interview practice and networking skills. Following the fair, an “Instant Interviews” event offered more than 100 students a chance to engage directly with top professionals at 10 companies—often bypassing the formal application stage, Vermillion said.

“Together, these experiences not only boost students’ confidence in their professional readiness, but they also help them form authentic, lasting connections with employers and alumni—connections that can lead to internships, jobs and long-term career success,” she added.

Keeping up the momentum (and staying motivated)

Vermillion encourages students to follow up with employers they met at the fair—whether through a thank-you note, LinkedIn connection or application—to keep those new relationships active. Meeting with a career coach is another valuable next step to refine resumes, practice interviewing, or discuss tailored strategies for the opportunities they are pursuing.

“Students can also strengthen their confidence and skills by joining student organizations, participating in case competitions, or attending upcoming Leeds programs like career treks to meet directly with companies at their offices,” Vermillion said.

“Continuing to engage with Career Development ensures that students not only maintain momentum but also grow their professional network and readiness for future recruiting cycles,” she added.

One employer commented, “The quality of students was top-notch. There were lots of good introductions and great questions.” That sentiment was widely shared, underscoring the strong impression Leeds students make.

Making Career Events Work: Five Reasons to Show Up and Stand Out

Leeds Associate Director of Employer Relations Angie Vermillion outlined key career event benefits for students.

Increased confidence: Feel prepared to introduce yourself professionally, talk about your skills and navigate conversations with employers.
Practical experience: Gain first-hand practice with resume reviews, mock interviews and networking in real recruiting settings.
Meaningful connections: Build new relationships with employers, alumni and industry professionals that can lead to internships, full-time roles or ongoing mentorship.
Career insights: Acquire a clearer understanding of industries, company cultures and career pathways that align with your goals.
Opportunities for next steps: Secure an interview, receive a job or internship offer, or get invited to apply—moving you closer to your goals and dream careers.

Be sure to stay connected with the Career Development Office's advisors and to keep track of career events >>

The Leeds Career Development Office kicked off the fall semester with three days of its signature programming, highlighted by the All Industries Career Fair—a lively event that filled the ballroom at Boulder’s new Limelight Hotel.

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Business as Art: Wendy Lea Inspires the Leeds Community

Jane Majkiewicz — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 21:07:29 +0000

Business as Art: Wendy Lea Inspires the Leeds Community Jane Majkiewicz Thu, 09/25/2025 - 15:07

Jane Majkiewicz

Nationally renowned ecosystem builder Wendy Lea came to Leeds to share exclusive insights from her career in building businesses, forging strategic alliances and inspiring go-to-market innovation, including the future she sees for quantum technology in Colorado.

Wendy Lea (second from left) with Leeds' Birdie Reznicek, Kathryn Wendell and Erick Mueller.

As Leeds’ first Community Leader-in-Residence, Lea’s first day included four sessions with members of the community, including the Dean’s Cabinet; members of the Leeds’ Centers of Excellence, Employer Relations and Career Development Office; graduate and undergraduate students; and staff from across Leeds.

A thought-provoking session with Leeds’ Business Research Division was a prime example of Lea’s captivating storytelling, tracing her career path—a journey shaped by building relationships, being curious, continually learning, and making bold decisions.

“I am a business artist,” said Lea, explaining that she sees potential before problems and focuses on how businesses can deliver value. “I see business-making as art because there is no set way to get it done—it’s the most creative thing in the world to me.”

Lea’s current work involves channeling her decades of experience into shaping the state of Colorado’s quantum ecosystem. As a board member of Elevate Quantum, Lea is helping position Colorado as a national leader in quantum technology—an industry McKinsey projects will reach $97 billion worldwide by 2035. Colorado, which currently has 50 quantum-related startups, expects 10,000 new jobs within the next 10 years, and 30,000 workers trained in quantum technology.

“I was never afraid of failure. NEVER. I am a natural innovator and entrepreneur,” Lea said. That spirit of entrepreneurship, she believes, will be key to accelerating Colorado’s leadership in building a quantum-ready workforce. High schools and colleges will play a pivotal role in this transformation, alongside partners in New Mexico and Wyoming, who are collaborating with Colorado to advance the field.

“If we do our work, we can build an amazing future for our state and our region,” she said. She emphasized that building the talent pipeline will not only require PhDs and engineers, but also skilled business professionals and trained workers in the trades, especially in manufacturing.

“If we do our work [in quantum technology], we can build an amazing future for our state and our region.“

Wendy Lea, ecosystem builder and board member of Quantum Elevate

Lessons for the next generation of business leaders

In another session, Lea met with student leaders to reflect on the pivotal decisions and turning points that shaped her career. She distilled her path into a powerful insight:

“Self-knowledge is the most important knowledge.”

By understanding herself, Lea said she was able to make thoughtful career choices. While not every decision was perfect, each one helped her apply her skills in new and imaginative ways, building expertise that ultimately allowed her to help others.

Her parting advice: Challenge your boundaries and embrace innovation and reinvention. “Break out in any way you can from the mold you have created for yourself.”

Nationally renowned ecosystem builder Wendy Lea came to Leeds to share exclusive insights from her career in building businesses, forging strategic alliances and inspiring go-to-market innovation.

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Why We Laugh—Or Lash Out—At Political Jokes

Kelsey Cipolla — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 18:50:35 +0000

Why We Laugh—Or Lash Out—At Political Jokes Kelsey Cipolla Thu, 09/25/2025 - 12:50

Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension shows how quickly political humor can spark outrage. CU Boulder professor and humor researcher Peter McGraw explains why some punchlines delight audiences while others trigger backlash.

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How Does Growing Up Poor Influence Financial Decision-Making? New Study Sheds Light

Kelsey Cipolla — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 16:11:36 +0000

How Does Growing Up Poor Influence Financial Decision-Making? New Study Sheds Light Kelsey Cipolla Wed, 09/24/2025 - 10:11

Research has long linked childhood poverty to financial risk-taking in adulthood. But a new analysis casts doubt on this stereotype.

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Boldly Moving Business Forward: Leeds Climbs in U.S. News & World Report Rankings

Jane Majkiewicz — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 16:03:04 +0000

Boldly Moving Business Forward: Leeds Climbs in U.S. News & World Report Rankings Jane Majkiewicz Tue, 09/23/2025 - 10:03

Jane Majkiewicz

Leeds School of Business climbs four spots in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings, placing it among the top 6 percent of undergraduate business programs nationwide.

Leeds moved up four spots in the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges 2026 rankings, tying for No. 32 overall with Boston College, �Թ�� of Arizona, �Թ�� of Iowa and UC Irvine. Leeds continues to hold its place as the top-ranked business school in Colorado and is now No. 21 among public universities nationwide.

“This four-spot rise overall is an impressive achievement and represents the second-largest upward movement among the top 35 business schools,” said Vijay Khatri, Tandean Rustandy Endowed Dean of Leeds.

In addition to the rankings, Leeds saw a record-breaking surge in undergraduate applications—more than 16,000 for the 2025–26 academic year. And this past spring, Leeds graduated its largest class ever, with nearly 1,700 undergraduates crossing the stage to venture into their next chapter.

As part of its 2035 Strategic Plan, Leeds’ mission, vision and values focuses on academic excellence, values-based leadership, interdisciplinary collaboration and bold innovation. Rising in the U.S. News & World Report rankings is one of many indicators of the school’s exceptional progress in these areas, Khatri noted.

How Leeds Stands Out

#1 in Colorado

(out of 10 ranked)

#32 overall

(tied with Boston College,
�Թ�� of Arizona, �Թ�� of Iowa and UC Irvine)

#21 public

(tied with �Թ�� of Arizona, �Թ�� of Iowa and UC Irvine)

Top 6%

of all schools ranked
(n=533)

#4 in Big 12
Conference

(out of 16)

A world-class faculty

Since fall 2024, 44 new faculty members have joined Leeds, bringing global expertise from leading business schools—a testament to the school’s growing reputation for academic and research excellence.

Chenshan Hu, a new assistant professor of operations management, cited Leeds’ “exceptional research” and “strong commitment to sustainability” as key reasons for joining the faculty.

MJ Yang was drawn to Leeds’ “fantastic group of scholars in entrepreneurship and strategy,” as well as the region’s quantum computing ecosystem. He left a tenured position at the �Թ�� of Oklahoma to join Leeds this fall as an assistant professor of entrepreneurship and strategy.

Leeds’ research impact is gaining recognition as faculty tackle some of the biggest questions and challenges facing business today. From 2020 to 2024, Leeds published an impressive 152 articles in top-tier journals, advancing significantly in the �Թ�� of Texas Dallas rankings for 2025.

Investing in career outcomes

Students like first-year Roberto Araujo-Rodriquez (Bus’29) come to Leeds not only to gain essential business fundamentals, but also with a clear vision for how they want to make their mark. For Araujo-Rodriquez, who already owns a car detailing business, that means exploring possibilities to start a chain of luxury restaurants after graduation.

Leeds’ expansive experiential learning opportunities—including internships, career treks, study abroad and professional mentoring—set the school apart. A recent transformative gift further demonstrates Leeds’ commitment to shaping the next generation of business leaders. The new Nicholas Dante Badami Office for Experiential Learning will amplify Leeds’ experiential initiatives, strengthen career outcomes, foster leadership and entrepreneurial mindsets, and ensure professional readiness.

Pulling rank

Maintaining a top-tier ranking among both public and private undergraduate business programs is a significant accomplishment. The U.S. News & World Report annual rankings are the most quoted of their kind in the United States, and for more than 40 years they have served as a trusted benchmark for families and prospective students when choosing a college.

Leeds’ graduate programs also shine. Last year, the school’s part-time MBA programs jumped eight spots to  No. 42 in the U.S. News & World Report 2025 Best Graduate Schools rankings. The Executive MBA ranked No. 49 globally for employer reputation and No. 5 among U.S. public schools for career outcomes, according to the QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) EMBA rankings.

As Leeds continues to rise in national and global rankings, the school remains focused on its long-term strategic initiatives, preparing students to innovate and thrive in a rapidly evolving business landscape.

Leeds School of Business climbs four spots in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings, placing it among the top 6 percent of undergraduate business programs nationwide.

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News

Boulder Climate Ventures Ignites Climate Tech Momentum with Fall Series

Seven Weeks of Climate Tech Brainstorming

Climate Tech 3.0: A Trillion-Dollar Opportunity

Local leadership

Entrepreneurial wisdom

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Boldly Moving Business Forward: Leeds Climbs in U.S. News & World Report Rankings

How Leeds Stands Out

#1 in Colorado

#32 overall

#21 public

Top 6%

#4 in Big 12 Conference

A world-class faculty

Investing in career outcomes

Pulling rank

Off

#4 in Big 12
Conference